The Blanco River
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Publication Date
January 2017
Abstract
For eighty-seven miles, the swift and shallow Blanco River winds through the Texas Hill Country. Its water is clear and green, darkened by frequent pools. But Spanish explorers named it the White River for the pale limestone they encountered along its banks and dramatic bluffs. Described as "the defining element in some of the Hill Country's most beautiful scenery," the Blanco flows both above and below ground, part of a network of rivers and aquifers that sustain the region's wildlife and millions of humans alike. Overpumping and prolonged drought have weakened the Blanco's flow and sustenance. Then, in the spring of 2015, a devastating flood toppled the huge cypress trees along its bank, altering the entire look of the river. Over the last two years, Wes Ferguson and Jacob Botter have paddled, walked, and waded the Blanco. They have explored its history, people, wildlife, and the natural beauty that surprises everyone who experiences this river. They have also been back to photograph and record the human response to the destruction of a beloved natural resource, which has become yet another episode in the story of water in Texas.
Document Type
Article
Identifier
SFS0072122_00001
Recommended Citation
Ferguson, Wes, "The Blanco River" (2017). KIP Articles. 672.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/672
